A 3D printed spine implant designed at University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands helped a 16-year-old boy walk again, reports Dutch News.
The teenage boy suffered from neurofibromatosis, which caused his spine to become unstable and collapse. The 3D implant was used to prevent complete paralysis.
A team of surgeons, scientists and engineers constructed the 3D printed titanium implant.
"What we came up with was a 3D printed titanium spine support which was tested extensively," said Koen Willemsen, MD, PhD, a 3D print expert at UMCU. "We now have a blueprint for other hospitals who want to offer the treatment."